Some people love doing laundry and some people hate it. I’m a person that loves it. It really isn’t work at all. Throw it into the wash, add some laundry detergent and press a button and from there it starts washing the dirt and grime out of our clothes. Throw it in the dryer, maybe you add a dryer sheet. Beep, the dryer is finished and time to fold. Ok, maybe folding isn’t the best part, but turn a movie on and folding isn’t so bad. With my favorite household chore, I never thought of the negative environmental impact I was causing. I have recently thought about this more and more every time I toss a load in. How am I causing Mother Nature harm by getting my clothes sparkly clean and fresh smelling? How can I create a sustainable laundry routine?
Washing Clothes Doesn’t Cause Environmental Harm, Does It?
Now I do have an energy efficient washer and dryer, so that cuts down on water being used and drying time is reduced (really only when I use my Friendsheep dryer balls). But really is that enough to prevent environmental damage? Nope, I don’t think so. Let's take laundry soap. Many commercial brands contain chemicals such as phosphates, surfactants, optical brightners, fragrances, bleach and formaldehyde. I know that phosphates are not good for us, but I just learned that they also cause algae bloom, yikes! I have seen algae bloom in lakes and reservoirs in Colorado and it isn’t pretty. Algae blooms are something we are creating and one reason is what we are putting into the water. Laundry detergent is one of many culprits. Algae blooms are a rapid increase in algae in a body of water that can be caused by the amount of phosphorus being disposed of into that particular body of water. With the temperature increase, algae blooms form. These blooms can cause people, animals and aquatic life to become sick if swimming in these areas. It’s something I’m more aware of now and when the temps get really hot around the end of July, beginning of August, our dog’s swimming season is over. We don’t want to take that risk.
What Can You do to not add to these Laundry Toxins in the Water?
This is such an easy fix and you will save money in your pocket. At our zero waste shop, we carry Meliora Laundry Powder and it has been my go to laundry detergent for the past several years. Meliora Laundry products are safe for the water system and safe to be used in your HE washer. There are no nasty toxins and I can be rest assured that my grey water is not flushing harmful chemicals into waterways. This laundry soap is amazing! One tablespoon will do it for fresh clean clothes! I also save money because like other commercial brands that say to fill the cup up with laundry soap (maybe this is so you will use it up quickly so you have to rebuy in a month), I use a tablespoon for a whole load of laundry. Yes! One tablespoon gets my clothes fresh and clean. Meliora laundry soap last me months. It is seriously worth giving it a try for not only clean clothes and money in your pocket, but for the biggest reason of all…sustainable laundry that helps our planet.
Meliora Laundry Powder
$22.00
Your Green Clean Laundry Hero! Elevate your laundry game with Meliora Laundry Powder Detergent. This powerful yet gentle formula combines natural ingredients like baking soda, washing soda, and plant-based surfactants to tackle stains while being kind to your clothes and… read more
Should You Wash Clothes in Cold, Warm or Hot?
We’ve seen the commercials saying, “Wash in cold and help the environment” or something in those words. Does the temperature really matter in protecting the planet? Absolutely it does! Your carbon footprint goes down drastically because your hot water heater is not involved, you are not using that energy to heat up water. According to the Sierra Club, “every household that switches to cold water washing could eliminate 1600 pounds of carbon dioxide a year”. Washing laundry in cold water also gets your clothes just as clean, and doesn’t fade or shrink. It is time we do a simple, but effective switch and wash our clothes in cold water! Let's all reduce the amount of carbon dioxide we are producing just from our laundry!
Replacing Bleach
Why is bleach bad? Bleach contains chlorine which can be harmful to aquatic life, other wildlife and humans. It leads to water and soil contamination which leads to other problems in eco-systems. Then what bleach alternative do you use? Meliora Oxygen Brightener is the answer and it works great for brightening clothes and getting rid of odors. It is a great alternative to bleach with none of the nasties that harm our health or nature’s health. It is a sustainable laundry must.
Meliora Oxygen Brightener
$20.00
Brighten Up with Meliora Oxygen Brightener! Say goodbye to dull laundry and tough stains with Meliora Oxygen Brightener! This powerhouse laundry booster is made from natural ingredients, including sodium percarbonate, which releases oxygen to tackle grime and brighten your clothes.… read more
Meliora Laundry Stain Remover
I hadn’t used stain remover for years. I would just put a little castile soap on a stain and scrub it out. Sometimes the stain would come out, sometimes it wouldn’t. I became a true believer in the Meliora Stain Stick when I used it on a sweater vest my sister just bought and somehow got red wine all over the back of it! The wine had been there for several days, so it was set in. I took it home to see what this laundry stain remover could do and boy was it magic! I got the stain area wet, rubbed the laundry soap stick on and threw it in the wash on cold with some laundry powder. 26 minutes later I pulled it out of the machine and no wine stain at all! I couldn’t believe my eyes. This stain remover really is a must have in your sustainable laundry products!
Meliora Stain Stick
$5.00
Meet Your New Stain-Fighting Hero Wave goodbye to stubborn stains with the Meliora Stain Stick, your trusted solution for tackling tough spots. Made with natural, plant-based ingredients, this powerful soap stick works hard on stains while staying gentle on your… read more
Washing Bags
I haven’t tried one yet, but I’ve heard Guppyfriend Bags are great for washing your clothes. You simply put your clothes in the bag and wash as normal. The bag prevents micro-plastics from leaving your clothes and being released into the water and then sent into the water system. Sounds like a win and something I will try soon!
What Does the Impact of my Dryer Have on the Environment?
Dryers use a lot of energy. I can’t picture how much a wattage actually is, but the average is between 1800 and 5000 watts. It not only uses a lot of energy, but increases carbon emission when used. What about dryer lint? You think, no big deal, it’s just clothes fuzz. Nope, it is a bunch of micro-plastics being blown out into the air and thrown away into the garbage. How can you change drying your clothes to be more green? Use the dryer as little as possible. Hang clothes in your bathroom, have an indoor clothesline and when warm outside, hang them on a clothesline and let the power of the sun get your clothes nice, warm and naturally dry! Let's get back to how our parents and grandparents did laundry with a clothesline, clothespins and the sun! I started doing this a year or so back and I use the dryer a lot less. I purchased clothespins from our plastic free shop and I use them all of the time! They work great not only for hanging clothes, but as snack back clips, ha, ha! This is just one way we can have clean, dry and fresh clothes without harming the planet!
Sustainable Dryer Balls
I just got my first set of dryer balls a little more than a year ago. I wasn’t a skeptic, but just didn’t know the positive impact they have on the environment. I have never been a dryer sheet person either. I do know that dryer sheets cause more harm than good. They are made of plastic, which over time break down into micro-plastics. They are also infused with that strong laundry smell that most of us grew up with. The chemicals used in laundry sheets release pollutants into the air which is not good for any of us to be breathing. What is the solution??? Dryer balls! I love the laundry balls we carry at our package free shop. Friendsheep dryer balls are made of New Zealand sheep wool, are durable, help prevent static, wrinkles, remove pet hair and reduce drying time. They don’t release any micro-plastics and no toxic chemicals are being spewed out into the air. Friendsheep dryer balls are sustainable laundry products I will never go without.
Friendsheep Dryer Balls
$6.00
Soft and Eco-Friendly! Ditch wasteful dryer sheets and embrace Friendsheep Wool Dryer Balls—your must-have for a greener laundry routine! Crafted from 100% natural, untreated wool, these dryer balls offer a non-toxic, eco-friendly solution for softer, fresher clothes. Why You’ll Love… read more
Sustainable Laundry is Obtainable
Laundry is a chore I don’t mind, actually I like to do it. There are things I’m doing right and things I need to work on to meet my sustainable laundry goal . Let’s all try and do better with a household chore we all have to do whether we like it or not. It is simple to change our laundry habits, we just have to do it and our low waste store can help you with some of your sustainable laundry goals. Our eco friendly laundry products like Meliora laundry detergent, our cute Friendsheep dryer balls, and our clothespins to help the sun do its magic will help you every step of the way for your sustainable laundry journey. Sustainable laundry makes a happy planet!